Stewart Hagestad of Newport Beach has claimed the AmateurGolf.com Player of the Year Award for the third time.
The 30-year-old Hagestad, who played college golf at USC, finished with 2,800 points in the AGC Mid-Amateur standings, with Garrett Rank of Canada second at 2,600, and Joseph Deraney of Belden, Mass., third with 2,500.
“At this stage in my amateur career, most of my goals relate to USGA Championships, major championships, national team events, and anything I can do to help grow and give back to the amateur game that has given me so many incredible experiences,” Hagestad told AmateurGolf.com in an October interview.
Hagestad beat Mark Constanza of Morrison, N.J., 2 and 1, in U.S. Mid-Amateur final at Sankaty Head Golf Club in Siasconset, Mass., after getting past 2020 AGC Player of the Year Stephen Behr of Atlanta, Ga., on the 23rd hole in round three of match play.
By winning, Hagestad earned spots in his second Masters and fourth U.S. Open in 2022.
Hagestad also won the 2021 George C. Thomas Invitational by a whopping nine strokes at The Los Angeles Country Club, tied for fifth in the Terra Cotta Invitational in Naples, Fla., and tied for 11th in the Jones Cup at Sea Island, Ga. He also lost to Michael Muehr of McLean, Va., 3 and 2, in the final of the 96th Crump Cup at Pine Valley, N.J.
In addition, Hagestad helped Captain Nathaniel Crosby and the United States win the 48th Walker Cup Match, 14-12, over Great Britain and Ireland at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Fla., by winning the final singles match, 4 and 2, over Ben Jones of England.
“I feel very lucky to be a part of it,” said Hagestad, the only mid-amateur on the team. “These guys are so talented and they are going to go on and have great careers.”
Hagestad also earned the AGC Mid-Amateur of the Year award in 2017, when he also won the U.S. Amateur, became the first mid-am to finish as low amateur in the Masters and helped the U.S. win the Walker Cup at Los Angeles Country Club.
Two years later, Hagestad was AGC Mid-Amateur of the Year again after became the first mid-am in 34 years to play in three straight U.S. Opens and helped the U.S. retain the Walker Cup at Royal Liverpool Golf Club in Hoylake, England.
